Milking-machine.



C. DE LEON MILKING MACHINE.

APPUCATION FILED 001.1. 1914.

Patented. May 23, 1916.

1 1 I I I 11. WATT wf fiffi.

CdMOS DE LEON, OF DAYTON, OHIO, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO N. D.

' RUTHERFORD.

MILKING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 23, 1916.

Application filed October 1, 1914:. Serial No. 864,507.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CARLos DE LEON, citizen of the United States,residing at Dayton, in the county of Montgomery and State of Ohio, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Milking-Machines, ofwhich the following is a specificawill not only be cheapened inconstruction,

but will be more efficient in use, positive in operation, quick inaction, easily operated and unlikely to get out of repair.

A further object of the invention is to provide a unitary devicepossessing continuous uninterrupted walls devoid of crevices or recesseswherein milk or foreign material may find lodgment, which will be openfor easy cleansing and inspection and of suitable material such asglass, porcelain, or composition material which may be readily andthoroughly sterilized.

A further objectof the invention is to provide means for supporting thevacuum chamber above the level of the container or reservoir in suchmanner that it may be easily and readily detached.

A further object is to provide a chamber having a transparent top ordome through which the action of the fluid within the chamber may...beobserved. A further object is to provide an improved form of free actingor floating valve controlled by variations of atmospheric pressure.

lVith the above primary and other incidental objects in view, as willmore fully appear in the specification, the invention consists of thefeatures of construction, the parts and combinations thereof, and themode of operation, or their equivalents, as hereinafter'described andset forth in the claims.

Referring to the drawings, Figure l is a vertical sectional view of thevacuum chamber forming the subject matter hereof ap plied to a receiverorcontainer. Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of the vacuum chamber.

Like parts are indicated by similar charactors of reference throughoutthe several views.

As constructed at the present time, mechanical milking apparatuscomprises a suction pump, a tubular connection designed for theattachment to the udder of the animal, and a receiving chamber to whichthe udder attachment leads and from which the pump exhausts the air. Ithas been found desirable in practice to 'make the chamber from which theair is exhausted and into which the milk is primarily received aseparate unit independent of the pail or other receiver or reservoirinto which the milk .is discharged from said chamber. Any suitable styleof suction pump may be employed and likewise any convenient andefficient form of udder attachment may be employed with the vacuum orsuction chamber disclosed herein. The pump and udder attachments,forming no part of the present invention, have not been illustrated andwill not be described inasmuch as such parts are familiar to personsskilled in the art of building and using mechanical milking apparatus.

The preferred form of suction pump is one of the single acting type.Such pump is preferably, though not necessarily, of a type to produce anintermittent suction action, to insure a quick action of the suctionvalve and secure a pulsating effect upon the udder connection. Thisreduces the vacuum within the chamber and causes the suction action tobecome intermittent, insures the quick action of the valve, and producesa pulsating effect upon the udder connection. It is obvious that thesame effect may be produced by a suitable relief valve in the suctionconduit or the pump. Such constructions, however, form no part of thepresent invention and are here mentioned merely for the purpose offacilitating the placing of the invention into effect.

Referring to the drawings, 1 is the pail or container preferably, thoughnot necessarily, provided with a removable top or cover 2. Projectingperpendicular to the top or cover 2 is a sleeve 3.

The vacuum or suction chamber, forming the subject matter hereof,comprises a single integral tubular unit closed at its upper end andopen at its lower end. This unit is preferably constructed of glass orother transparent material but if desired may be made of porcelain,composition, or even of metal. the tubular member is preferably, thoughnot necessarily, dome shaped and is provided with an air outlet 5 withwhich the suction pump before mentioned is connected. It is furtherprovided with a fluid inlet 6 with which the flexible metallic conduit 7leading from the udder attachments is connected.

It has heretofore been customary to use rubber hose for connecting theudder attachments and the reservoir or receiving compartment. Suchrubber hose has been found diflicult to' maintain in a sterile orsanitary condition and is frequently injured by being stepped upon bythe ammal or operator and further deteriorates very rapidly under theaction of the fats in the milk. In the present construction thesedifficulties have been overcome by employing a flexible metallic conduit7 which is not collapsible and may be thoroughly sterilized withoutinjury'and does not deteriorate under the action of the milk.

Interposed between the fluid inlet 6 and the air outlet 5 is atransverse diaphragm or baflie 8 extending across the upper portion ofthe chamber and extending beyond the inlet 6 which is thereby inclosedin a separate recess or compartment. The object of the bafile ordiaphragm 8 is to intercept the inflowing milk and to prevent it frombeing entrained by the air exhausted from the chamber.

Upon its exterior the chamber 4 is provided with a peripheral flange orbead 9. The exterior proportions of the chamber are such that it willreadily slide within the upright sleeve 3 of the top or cover 2 of thepail. The telescopic action of the chamber 4 and the sleeve 3 is limitedby the engagement of the peripheral flange or bead 9 with the extremityof the sleeve. Thus the chamber is suspended or supported upon the upperend of the sleeve While the extended engagement of the chamber withinthe sleeve prevents any tipping or tilting action of the vacuum chamberin relation with the receiver or reservoir.

The lower end of the vacuum chamber 4 i is open throl-lghout its fullextent thus permitting easy access to the interior for cleansingpurposes and for 11181380131011. The interior walls of the chamber arecontinuous or unbroken throughout thereby affording no lodgment for milkor dust'particles or foreign matter which might-render the de- The upperor closed end of comprising, preferably though not necessarily, threeradially disposed arms 12 connected one to the other. It is obvious thatthe valve frame or ca e may be provided with any suitable number of armsor that a single transverse bridge bar may be employed. The particularconstruction of the valve frame or cage is not essential.

Projecting centrally from the supporting frame is a stud 13 upon whichnormally rests a valve or closure plate 14: preferably of aluminum orother suitable light material. The valve or closure plate 1 L isprovided with a central depression 15 in which the extremity of the stud13 normally engages. The valve or closure plate 14 is entirelyindependent and free from the vacuum chamber 4 and from the valve cageor support. It is free to reciprocate upon the stud 13 or to tip or tiltin any direction about such stud as a fulcrum. It is also free to belifted from such stud and into contact with the lower edge of the vacuumchamber by atmospheric pressure when the air Within the chamber isexhausted.

In operation the initial exhaustion of the chamber 4 by means of thesuction pump before mentioned causes the valve or closure plate 14 to belifted from its supporting stud 13 and to be seated upon the lower edgeof the chamber, thereby closing the lower end thereof. The suction orvacuum produced in the chamber thereupon acts through the flexiblemetallic conduit 7 upon the udder connection to induce a flow of milkwhich is received in the chamber 1. The weight of the valve or closureplate together with that of the charge of milk resting thereon withinthe chamber 1 causes the plate ll to drop from its seat upon the chamberand thereby discharge the milk contained therein. This unseating actionis assisted and accelerated by the return air discharged from thesuction pump which is returned to the vacuum chamber through the suctionconduit thereby forcibly projecting the closure plate 14 from its seatand expelling the contents of the chamber. The valve frame is detachablyconnected to the chamber by means of a bayonet slot 16 or other suitableconnection whereby it may be readily detached and the valve plate 14removed for cleansing. It. is to be noted that the valve support or cageoffers no obstruction to the withdrawal of the chamber from the sleeve3. By the use of the sleeve 3 the vacuum or suction chamber is supportedentirely above the fluid line of the receiver or reservoir. It is notessential, however, that such an extended sleeve shall be employed. Thevacuum or suction chamber described may be suspended through a simpleopening in the top or cover of the reservoir in which case the devicewould be supported by the engagement of the peripheral flange 9 upon.ing apparatus for various other uses.

1,1s4,ee1 a.

the portion of the lid surrounding the opening. However, the use of theextended sleeve not only supports the device above the fluid line butholds it against the tipping or tilting action thereby maintaining it inan upright position in which the valve plate 14 will be evenly balanced.By constructing the device of glass or other suitable transparentmaterial the action of the fluid within the chamber may be readilyobserved through the transparent top or dome.

While the device is especially designed for use with milking apparatus,it is to be understood that it is not limited to such use but may form apart of a suction or pump 11 view of its adaptability to other uses, theclaims are not to be understood as limited to milking apparatus.

From the above description it will be apparent that there is thusprovided a device of the character described, possessing the particularfeatures of advantage before enumerated as desirable but which obviouslyis susceptible of modification in its form, proportion, detailconstruction or arrangement of parts without departing from theprinciple involved or sacrificing any of its advantages.

While in order to comply with the statute the invention has beendescribed in language more or less specific as to certain structuralfeatures, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited toany specific details, but that the means and construction hereindescribed comprise but one mode of putting the invention into effect,and the invention is therefore claimed broadly in any of its possibleforms or modifications within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim: 1. A vacuum chamber havinga lateral fluid inlet near its top, an axial air outlet at its top, avalved fluid discharge orifice at its bottom, and a vertical baffleelement in the angle between said fluid inlet and-air outlet.-

2. In an apparatus of the character described, a vacuum chamber composedof a cylindrical body portion open at its lower end and a dome-shapedtop portion closing the upper end of said cylindrical body portion, saidbody and top portions being in tegrally combined as a unitary structure,and said top portion having an. axially disposed air outlet orifice atits top, a lateral fluid inlet orifice disposed at a level below saidoutlet orifice, a battle arranged vertically in the angle between saidorifices, and a closure valve for said open lower endof the body.

3. In an a paratus of the character described, a vacuum chambercomprising a tuscribed, a vacuum chamber comprising a tu bular body openat its lower end and closed at its upper end, said body being providedwith a fluid inlet orifice and an air outlet orifice, a ring detachablyconnected with the lower end of the body, a frame supported by the ringbelow the lower open end of the body, a stud projecting upwardly fromsaid frame toward the open end of the body, and a normally inclinedclosure valve or plate loosely arranged within the frame and havingdaloose pivotal engagement with said stu 5. In an apparatus of thecharacter described, a vacuum chamber having an air outlet and fluidinlet and outlet orifices, an independent closure plate for the fluidoutlet orifice, and a fulcrum for the plate engaged thereby when'in openposition.

6. In an apparatus of the character described, a vacuum chamber havingan air outlet and fluid inlet and outlet orifices, an independentclosure plate for the fluid outlet orifice, and a stud centrally locatedin relation with the plate upon which the plate rests when in openposition.

7. In an apparatus of the character described, a vacuum chamber havingan air outlet and fluid inlet and outlet orifices, and independentclosure valve plate for the fluid outlet orifice, a pivotal support forsaid valve when in open position from which 7 support the plate islifted in its closing movement.

8. In an apparatus of the character described, a vacuum chamber havingan air outlet and fluid inlet and outlet orifices, an independentclosure plate for the fluid outlet orifice, and a centered support forsaid plate about which the plate is capable of both rotary andoscillatory movement.

9. In an apparatusof the character described, a vacuum chamber having anair outlet and fluid inlet and outlet orifices, an independent closurevalve plate for the fluid outlet orifice, a detachable frame carried bythe vacuum chamber, and a pivoting projection carried by the frame onwhich the closure plate is loosely supported.

10. In an apparatusof the character described, a vacuum chamber havingan air outlet and fluid outlet and inlet orifices, an independentclosure plate for the fluid outlet orifice, a supporting frame for theindelet orifice, a support for the plate including 10 pendent plate, anda projection on the a stud engaging the plate at a central point frameforming a fulcrum for the plate about about which the plate is free tooscillate. which the plate is free to oscillate in any In testimonywhereof, I have hereunto set 5 direction; my hand this 29th day ofSeptember A. D.

11. In anapparatus of the character de- 1914. scribed, a vacuum chamberhaving an air CARLOS DE LEON. outlet and fluid inlet and outletorifices, an Witness: independent closure plate for the fluid out- J.CHAMBERLAIN.

